Beginner Model Rockets: Ideas and Suggestions

[justPAB]

Any one have any ideas or suggestions for beginner model rockets? I eventually want to make my own.

 

[Filip Larsen]

I have no idea about good model-kits, but book-wise I can recommend Handbook of Model Rocketry, http://books.google.dk/books?id=7IJTAAAAMAAJ

 

[russ_watters]

The question seems a bit vague - you can just go buy the kits and build them or buy the parts and design/buld your own. Could you be more specific about what you are asking?

Great hobby, though.

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

I had a couple of these as a kid : http://www.estesrockets.com/ My dad had made a launcher by sticking a some metal rod in a two-by-four.

I abandoned the hobby after being stung in the forehead by a horsefly while retrieving the rocket in the woods. Great hobby sure, but you got to watch out for the horseflies.

 

[Danger]

I abandoned the hobby after being stung in the forehead by a horsefly.

Ouch! For the sake of not misleading the youngsters, though, I must point out that horseflies don't sting. They bite, and usually take a noticeable chunk of flesh with them when they leave. I point this out only because someone who is allergic to insect venom has nothing to fear (other than pain) from these particular pests.
By the bye... I designed a really nice rocket system, but I don't think that it is appropriate to discuss it here since it involves an anti-tank warhead...

(It was originally an anti-gopher warhead, but one thing led to another... you know how that goes...)

 

[justPAB]

The question seems a bit vague - you can just go buy the kits and build them or buy the parts and design/buld your own. Could you be more specific about what you are asking?

Great hobby, though.

Well I'm majoring in Aerospace Engineering and I remember back in high school I did a project with my engineering class and put together some rocket kits and launched them. It was fun, but I kind of want to design my own. My confusion is that back then, I had a professor that told me what to do, (not to mention, putting together a kit is not that difficult) but now, I'm working on my own and have not yet started my "core" classes for AE, so I don't know where to start. The thing is, it takes a lot of work to build a nozzle from scratch; I don't know what fuel goes into making a rocket motor for the model. I can research all these through google, however, I would like your input. I see this board has a lot of experienced people; who better to ask? :)

 

[justPAB]

(It was originally an anti-gopher warhead, but one thing led to another... you know how that goes...)